-scene-
Dark gazed at the boy sleeping beside him. He drew his fingers gently through the boy's tussled, copper hair. Even in sleep, the boy wore a look of distress, his cheeks flushed, his lip pouting. Dark cursed himself. He should have known better.
He stood swiftly, pulling on his discarded trousers. Daisuke was just a kid. He'd meant to take things slow, to do it right, but when they were together like that and things started getting hot, it was almost like he was a different person.
He turned back once more before exiting the room and it pained him to realize that the boy had visibly relaxed since Dark had gotten up. He ran a hand through his short hair, remembering. He'd make it up to his young lover.
-scene-
The blonde stared at the ceiling, exhaling heavily. The dress rehearsal was that night and he was exhausted. Odd changes had been taking place within his body. Things he couldn't understand, or at least things he didn't want to. It had taken enormous amounts of energy to restrain Krad and imprison him somewhere in the young man's mind and he found that he still hadn't recovered from the strain.
He rolled to his side, pressing his hands to the floor, trying to will his body to rise. With a grunt, he staggered to his feet, only to slam into the opposite wall, gripping the doorframe for stability. Was he really so weak? Did that mean that… all along, he'd been relying on Krad's strength?
He'd discovered his alter ego much earlier than the Niwa boy, in fact, so early that he couldn't remember it. There wasn't an instance in his memory that Krad did not share.
(flashback) You're pushing yourself too hard… gentle hands seeming to caress him, strong arms supporting him. (end flashback)
Krad had learned to channel certain parts of the young man's mind, to manipulate his senses. Whether out of curiosity, kindness, or simply for personal gain, Satoshi had yet to figure out.
Leaning there against the doorframe, grunting in the effort to stand, Satoshi couldn't help but wonder… if maybe he missed it… just a little.
-scene-
"Risa's not coming!" Yumi demanded, her voice high and squeaky.
Takeshi and Daisuke cringed.
Riku shook her head. "She said she can't. She said she doesn't feel well." But it was obvious Riku knew better, and, hanging his head embarrassedly, Daisuke had to admit that so did he.
"Well…" Yumi's eyes seemed to search frantically for something before finally brightening. "Then you'll just have to play her part." She decided. "There's nothing else for it. You're identical, after all, so no one will even know."
"What!" Riku squeaked, taken aback. "M-me? I couldn't! I can't! I… I'm just stage crew!"
"Well, you practiced her lines with her, right?" Yumi asked, knowingly.
Riku paused, then nodded gravely, like one condemned. "Yes…"
"Good, then it's all settled. You'll play her part, and if she feels better tomorrow, then well, good for you." With that, she turned on her heel, stalking away to lecture the lowerclassmen about the set.
"M-me?" Riku stammered again to the air.
Daisuke swallowed thickly. He wanted to tell her that she'd do fine, that he knew she was a good actress, but he was afraid she'd only snub him again. He swallowed thickly. "R-riku..?" he began.
She turned to him startled.
He gave her a nervous smile. "You… you're gonna do great, you know?" he fumbled.
She stared at him for a moment. She could feel the eyes of the other girls on her, assessing her, wondering what she would say. She could feel her face growing red. What could she say? What should she say? She wanted to run, but then it hit her. She could run. She could run, or she could say something cruel, but what purpose would that serve? What would that gain her? Daisuke had been her friend for as long as she could remember, he had even been her boyfriend, whether he had loved her or not. They shared a special bond, and she wasn't about to let hurt feelings and harsh words ruin that. "Thank you." She replied, grabbing him in a fierce hug. "I really needed that Dai… you're a good friend."
The boy could feel his face turning red, but he smiled. Then things really were good again.
"Satoshi!" Daisuke heard Takeshi exclaim in a surprised voice. He turned around to see what had so startled the boy. "Man! You look like you're about to die!"
There stood Satoshi, surrounded by crooning girls, his pale, his cheeks flushed and sunken, looking utterly defeated.
"Satoshi!" Daisuke couldn't help but echo the exclamation as he rushed to the boy who was about to collapse. "Let me help you."
The boy gratefully leaned on the proffered shoulder, pride forgotten in his weariness. It was a wonder he'd even made it there. "It's too hard…" he murmured. "I can't keep him out of my mind forever… it's killing me."
"Satoshi…" Daisuke paused, glancing around at all the attentive faces. "I'll…er… help you change into your costume." He offered, leading the boy to the privacy of the dressing room. Once there, he sat the boy down, planting his hands on his hips firmly. "I told you it wasn't a good idea." He scolded. "Look, when I cut Dark out…" he flushed. "I mean, before everything… it was just, here and there, a little bit at a time. Like it or not, Krad is a part of you and if you cut him out permanently, you're killing a part of yourself. It can't be good for you.
Satoshi leaned back with a wheeze. "What else can I do? He controls me. He's too strong…"
"Well…" Daisuke pondered. "What if you just… let him in a little? Y'no, just enough so that it's not hurting you anymore."
The blonde glanced up at the slightly shorter boy, thinking over his suggestion. "Just a little…" he mused. "Hn… maybe…"
"Well… think about it." Daisuke offered with a smile. "Listen, I gotta go take my mark, are you gonna be okay?"
"Of course." Satoshi replied, regaining some of his pride. "I'll be out in a moment."
"Sure." Daisuke nodded before leaving Satoshi to his privacy, and his thoughts.
"Just a little…" Satoshi repeated quietly. What did he have to lose? He couldn't go on much longer like this anyway…
-scene-
"Back so soon sir?" the barber clicked his tongue. "What's the matter? Don't like the cut I gave you?"
"Certainly not that," Dark sighed between his teeth with an embarrassed grin. "My girl's fickle, you know? Ooh, get one like Katori Shingo! Now like Takeshi Beat! If she keeps it up, I won't have any hair left!"
The barber laughed. "Got you wrapped around her finger, don't she!"
"Ah well, what can I say?" Dark threw his hands up in defeat. "She gives me so much, a little haircut now and then is nothing compared to what I owe her."
"That's love." The barber chuckled, taking out his scissors and shears. "So what are we looking for today? Short like the Japanese Soccer team keeper?"
"No," Dark grinned into the mirror. "I was thinking something a little more… foreign."
-scene-
"What does my master have that I don't!" Takeshi bellowed. "Is it because I am young, Kyo-samma? Is it that you think my heart is not mature enough to love another man?" At that, he burst into a fit of giggles, collapsing on the stage.
"This is a serious scene, Takeshi!" Yumi was fuming. "The play is tomorrow night! And if you can't say it without laughing-!"
"I'm sorry!" he howled. "It's just, I'm up here, confessing my love to Daisuke! Don't you think that's a little weird? No offence." He patted the other boy's shoulder roughly.
"None taken," Daisuke replied. "You're not my type, remember, not in the play, and definitely not out of it."
"Ouch!" Takeshi replied. "You're cruel."
"Ah, so now I find you, white wings!" Satoshi interrupted their unprofessional moment from across the stage. "Then this was your plot? You intend to force the heart of this man away from true love with your treachery?"
Startled, Takeshi jumped quickly back into his place, drawing an imaginary dagger and stabbing Daisuke with it. "If he is not to be mine, he will belong to no one!" he cried in anguish.
"Uh, jumped the gun a little there," Daisuke tapped him on the shoulder. "I've got six more lines before you fake kill me."
"What? Seriously?" Takeshi pulled a folded script from his back pocket, scanning over the pages. "Damn, you're right."
Yumi screamed. "I'll kill you Takeshi! Everyone take a break while I kill him."